St. Louis Cardinals Top-15 Prospects of 2010, No’s 6 – 15

ALSO SEE – Cardinals Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Grades are based on a prospect’s projected value over the course of his career and how likely it is that prospect will fulfill his projected value. Various factors are accounted for including upside, red flags, actual performance, and closeness to the majors. See the 2010 Prospect Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.

Hitters must have 100 or fewer Major League ABs to qualify for this list. Starting pitchers must have 50 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2010. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2009. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.

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Player Grades
Contact – 50 Now | 50 Future
Power – 55 | 55
Discipline – 50 | 50
Speed – 40 | 40
Defense – 55 | 55
Arm – 55 | 55
Instincts – 55 | 55
ETA – 2010
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – Muscular build, but he’s maxed out physically

Scouting Report

It was an interesting year for David Freese. He injured his ankle in a car accident in January of 2009, but he wasn’t fully recovered from the injury by the time Spring Training rolled around. The injury eventually required surgery that kept him out for an extended period.

Usually for prospects like Freese, you get one shot. If you get injured, or if you perform poorly in limited number of at bats, the team is always ready to move on to the next option. They can’t afford to wait around. Lucky for Freese, nobody stepped up to the plate and claimed the job.

Not helping his cause was a DWI charge in December, but lucky for him, his manager, Tony La Russa, is probably more sympathetic to Freese’s situation than other managers would be. And Freese will now be the team’s Opening Day starter at third base in 2010.

Still, it’s up to Freese to actually perform. And he’s not going to be given a long leash. Freese’s biggest obstacle will be to cut down on the strikeouts and get on base at a higher rate. He has better than average power to all fields and good bat speed, allowing him to make hard contact. However, his success, I believe, will depend on whether he can post an acceptable enough OBP.

Freese is defensively sound with a strong arm, so he should have no problem holding down the hot corner.

Best Case Outcome – Average everyday third baseman

More Likely Outcome – Below average everyday third baseman though he probably would be better used as an extra bat off the bench or in a platoon role

Player Grades
Contact – 55 Now | 60 Future
Power – 55 | 55
Discipline – 50 | 50
Speed – 35 | 35
Defense – 45/50 | 50
Arm – 45 | 45
Instincts – 55 | 55
ETA – 2010
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – Big body with little projection left

Scouting Report

Allen Craig is probably the organization’s best pure hitting prospect. He consistently puts the bat head on the ball, enabling him to make hard contact and hit for power to all fields. He’s an aggressive hitter who has improved his ability to make contact and now makes more contact than your typical power hitter You’d like to see him walk more, but if he hits .300+ like he’s done over the past three years, it shouldn’t bee too big a problem.

Craig has a very sound swing — he keeps his swing short, efficiently carries his weight forward, and let’s the ball travel deep into his hitting zone.

The reason Craig hasn’t gotten a chance at the big league level is because he doesn’t really have a position. The Cardinals don’t feel he plays third base well enough and he’s obviously blocked at first base because of Albert Pujols. Craig can play left field, but he has below average range and he doesn’t have much arm strength.

So Craig is now relegated to Triple-A once again and his future will likely be with some other team.

Best Case Outcome – Average everyday first baseman

More Likely Outcome – He’d be best used as an extra bat off the bench — somebody you can move around, from left field to first base to DH if you’re an AL team, and maybe to third base every once in a while. He’d be good for maybe 450 – 500 ABs a year.

Brief Rundown on Prospects 8 – 15

8. Daniel Descalso | 2b | Grade – B- – Close-to-MLB-ready second baseman doesn’t have a lot of upside, but could be an average everyday player or at least a utility player

9. Robert Stock | C/RHP | Grade – C+ – Had a nice debut season after a disappointing college career as a hitter…many scouts like him better as a pitcher, but Stock prefers to play catcher

10. Tyler Henley | OF | Grade – C+ – A little bit of a tweener…he’s a high contact hitter, but I’d like to see him up his walk rate

11. Joe Kelly | RHP | Grade – C+ – Third round pick could move quickly on the back of a plus fastball and an ability to pound the strike zone

12. Jon Jay | CF | Grade – C+ – Big year for Jay, who struggled last year…he’s a potential fourth outfielder

13. Mark Hamilton | 1b | Grade – C+ – Put up big numbers a year ago, but he has nowhere to play with Albert Pujols blocking him

14. Adam Ottavino | RHP | Grade – C – Solid Spring lead to him being put into this spot…his future will most likely be in the bullpen

15. Scott Gorgen | RHP | Grade – C – Used as a starter for now, but he’s another potential middle reliever

*Based on the criteria I’ve set forward, Blake Hawksworth, Tyler Green, and P.J. Walters are not prospects

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Peter Kozma (SS) | Adam Reifer (RHP) | Hector Hernandez (LHP) | Steven Hill (C) | Aaron Luna (LF) | Donovan Solano (2b) | Casey Mulligan (RHP) | Scott Schneider (RHP) | Fernando Salas (RHP) | Francisco Samuel (RHP) | Bryan Anderson (C) | Roberto De La Cruz (3b) | Niko Vasquez (SS) | David Kopp (RHP) | Arquimedes Nieto (RHP) | Blake King (RHP) | Scott Bittle (RHP) | Nick Additon (LHP) | Shane Robinson (CF) | Adron Chambers (RF) | Kyle Conley (OF) | Tommy Pham (OF)

ALSO SEE – St. Louis Cardinals Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

UP NEXT – Baltimore Orioles Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Other References and Resources Used for This Article – First Inning and Minor League Splits